“He knows I’m strong, Rafe. He knows I’m stronger than he is. He hasn’t been able to control me since we joined the military and itkillshim.”
“We technically didn’tjointhe military,” I interjected, but Wyatt continued as if I hadn’t spoken.
“He knows I’m powerful, and now he’s looking for my Key. He knows she’ll be powerful, too.”
“Okay…” I dragged out the word, waiting for the big reveal. I snorted. “You’re acting like he’s going to steal her from you.”
Wyatt didn’t laugh. Or speak. He fell silent.
A cold sweat drifted down my spine, and I spun around to face my friend.
“Wyatt,” I said slowly. Wyatt shifted on his feet, not meeting my eye. “You’re scaring me. What happened?”
“Nothing,” he breathed. He pulled out his phone. “He just…sent me some weird messages.”
I took the phone, eyeing him warily before I glanced down.
Dad
We’re all looking forward to meeting her. I saw her picture. She’s stunning
Have you met her parents?
Stop ignoring me, Wyatt. It’s childish
His phone buzzed suddenly, and my lip curled as Carissa’s name flashed across the screen.
Wyatt jumped on me the moment he saw her name, and we both fell to the ground.
“Fuck,” I said, my voice muffled from my mouth full of fuckingsand.
Wyatt scrambled away from me, checking the phone in a way that could’ve appeared eager if I didn’t know him as well as I did.
“Ugh,” I groaned, spitting out more sand as I stood. I shook out my legs, shivering becauseI swear to God, there was sand up my ass somehow.
Wyatt grimaced at whatever Carissa had sent, and oh man, did I really need to see those messages. Before he could react, a shadow snatched Wyatt’s phone, and I moved through the darkness several yards down the beach.
“Rafe!” Wyatt’s voice was tiny since he was now far away, and I began speed-walking away while looking down at his phone.
And fucking hell, I wish I hadn’t.
Carissa
I see you’re in the islands. Would you want to come visit?
You’re still sharing your location with me :)
Mom’s making a roast this weekend. You used to love that :) I can meet you somewhere?
Going down to the beach…you could meet me there?
I froze in disgust at the bikini photo she’d sent. Carissa wasn’t ugly, exactly, she just had an ugly soul. She’d had some work done since I’d seen her last. Her boobs were definitely bigger as well as her lips. She had a full face of makeup on for the beach, which was weird. Also, she’d sent this all an hour ago as the sun was setting. Had she really seen Wyatt was here, gotten dressed and made up just to see him for an hour in the fading sunlight?
I hated her so much.
Wyatt caught up to me, and I didn’t fight as he shoved me hard between the shoulder blades. He ripped his phone away from me, glancing down at the bikini photo and freezing.
Okay, so he hadn’t seen it. That was good.
